Eagles feeding

[joyce]

With the winter, although I dislike the cold, and snow, after awhile I get much pleasure from watching the birds. We feed all kinds of birds here, but my favorite to watch are the Eagles.....they are common around here on the river during the winter months, are here in Summer also, but not as many as in the winter.
The pictures are of some feeding on a road killed deer carcass that we put about 60 yards from our garage window, to make it easier to watch.
The other picture is of one sitting in tree about 25 yards from the house. Joyce

[Gibby]

Very cool. I love the fact that they are becoming more widespread and populated. I would have never thought about seeing one when I was younger. They just were not around here. I have seen 9 this year. It maybe the same one or a pair that I keep seeing, I am not sure. Thanks for the pics.

[joyce]

Thanks Gibby, I am happy too that they are doing so well...20 years ago if we wanted to see Eagles we had to go to the lock and dams on the Mississippi river in the coldest winter months where they would be feeding in the open waters caused by the dam, now they are all over our area and even nesting here in the Summer. We have some nest not far from my house, hope some day they will build one near my house, so I can watch them take care of their young!
I did some reading on them and found out that there was a bounty on them in Alaska, 140,000 were killed from 1917 till 1953 for the bounty money, Surprised me that happened! Joyce

[chert]

Cool pictures Joyce. I was ice fishing last Saturday before the storm hit and just as it turned light I saw two mature bald eagles flying about four feet above the ice from the other side of the lake. They landed in a tree on a point of land sticking out into the lake. In town, mind you! There have been many geese and ducks sitting on the ice in bunches and I'm assuming that these eagles are preying on the weak and the crippled birds. About an hour after they perched in the tree on the point, I looked out onto the lake and all the geese and ducks got up at the same time. Sure enough, one of the eagles was approaching the flock. Just neat how the scouts in the bunch picked this up and alerted all the others to get the heck out of Dodge.

[joyce]

Originally Posted by chert

Cool pictures Joyce. I was ice fishing last Saturday before the storm hit and just as it turned light I saw two mature bald eagles flying about four feet above the ice from the other side of the lake. They landed in a tree on a point of land sticking out into the lake. In town, mind you! There have been many geese and ducks sitting on the ice in bunches and I'm assuming that these eagles are preying on the weak and the crippled birds. About an hour after they perched in the tree on the point, I looked out onto the lake and all the geese and ducks got up at the same time. Sure enough, one of the eagles was approaching the flock. Just neat how the scouts in the bunch picked this up and alerted all the others to get the heck out of Dodge.

Hi Chert, Yes the geese always have at least one watching for danger. Eagles take mature Geese, and Ducks. I watched a video of Eagles grabbing Ducks off the water, and have read about them taking Geese right out of the air.
That must have been an awesome sight to see....I have never seen that happen, most of the time I watch them looking for fish in the open water and feeding on carrion that we put out for them.
So how was the ice fishing? I go to Wisconsin to ice fish, up near Rice Lake, also I go in the Mississippi back waters near Fulton, Ill. Its shallow and I can see the fish, so it almost looks like fishing in an aquarium. Lots of fun when you see a big Large mouth Bass looking at your tiny hook attached to 2# line....
Thanks for your comment Chert, hope you got though the storm ok. Joyce

[sage]

yeah those are nice birds to watch and if you go to where they were feeding u would probally find a nice eagle feather.

[joyce]

Hi Sage and thanks for comment. I did find a feather a couple years back. I know its illegal to have one, but I kept it anyway. Joyce